


The Rainbow leaves with the Emperor

by phoenicia1533



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Nijimura in Rakuzan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 01:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3710086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenicia1533/pseuds/phoenicia1533
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m not taking you guys lightly, Shintarou. You could say I’m being cautious as I can. I can’t play my trump card so easily…”, Akashi Seijuurou said.</p>
<p>And Kuroko Tetsuya thought that playing his trump card meant revealing the true nature of Rakuzan #5. He was never so wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rainbow leaves with the Emperor

“I’m not taking you guys lightly, Shintarou. You could say I’m being cautious as I can. I can’t play my trump card so easily…”, Akashi Seijuurou said.

And Kuroko Tetsuya thought that playing his trump card meant revealing the true nature of Rakuzan #5. He was never so wrong.

After Kuroko told the tale of how the other Akashi Seijuurou emerged during their time in Teikou to the rest of the Seirin High School Basketball team, it was already time to face the Red Emperor of Rakuzan. There was no provided plan or solution as to how Rakuzan would be stopped, given its strongest line up since the foundation of the basketball club – and Seirin was feeling this match was their most challenging yet. They all witnessed the undeniable prowess of Akashi’s Emperor Eye and the unmatched dribbling of Hayama Kotarou – and who’s to say that both Eikichi Nebuya or Mibuchi Reo have nothing up their sleeve to make sure their Winter Cup Championship.

It was today. The Winter Cup championship match of Seirin and Rakuzan, of Kuroko and Kagami Taiga against Akashi.

Kagami, as usual, wasn’t able to get enough sleep because he was anxiously excited. Kuroko, on the other hand, slept in early so he would be at tip-top shape.

The coach had a set up a pre-match meeting where she assigned who’s going to marking who, and what they’re going to do about Akashi, the three Uncrowned Kings and the unrevealed member of the Rakuzan starters. According to Momoi Satsuki, his name was Mayuzumi Chihiro, and he was a senior at Rakuzan High School – that’s all she was able to gather. Aside from her, no one else was able to provide essential information about him; looks like Akashi Seijuurou was able to keep his identity and his basketball prowess a real secret.

The same morning, Kise Ryouta called his beloved Kurokocchi to send his good luck, saying that he will be there to witness his long-awaited match against their former captain. Momoi also called, saying that she and Aomine Daiki will watch his match, because apparently, Aomine had nothing better to do. Kuroko was then surprised when Takao Kazunari also called him, saying that he and Shin-chan will also be watching because Midorima Shintarou wants to witness how the Seirin combo will hand Akashi’s ass over – at the end of the call, “don’t lie, Takao!” was evidently heard. On the other hand, Himuro Tatsuya was also noted to have called Kagami, saying that he will be coming with Murasakibara Atsushi, even though the gentle giant was heard to have been bribed by mountains of snack take-outs.

Extreme pressure and anxiety can be felt within the Seirin group as they entered the venue for the championship as it was their very first game at the nationals. Kuroko kept on observing the people as usual, and even though it was his hobby, he wasn’t able to help but bump into one of the people there.  
“Sorry,” Kuroko said.  
“It was no problem, Kuroko,” the man said.

Huh? Kuroko was surprised that he wasn’t able to catch the face of the anonymous person because that was highly unlikely. The usual scenario is the person Kuroko bumped into wouldn’t even be able to tell if there was indeed someone they bumped, and in the end, they would shrug it off – but this, this was a revelation. Just who was that? Did that person really called his name out?

“Kuroko? What is it?” Kagami enthused.  
“Ah, it was nothing, Kagami-kun. I just thought someone I knew was here.”  
“You sure? Don’t get jittery on me, okay?”  
“Yes,” Kuroko assured.

At the start of the warm-ups, Kuroko was trying to figure out what deal is with the Rakuzan High School Basketball team, as each and every member of the club, from the starters to the apparent helpers, was silently content.

“Yo, Tetsuya. Are you excited?” Akashi said as he approaches. He was wearing his Rakuzan jacket as per usual.  
“Akashi-kun.”  
“I asked you a question, Tetsuya.”  
“You can say I am prepared, Akashi-kun.”

Akashi approached closer and looked Kuroko in the eyes.

“I like the fire in your eyes, Tetsuya. I wish to feel the burn of your longing soon enough,” and he left.

“What a prick,” Kagami observed.  
“You’re going to be a bigger prick if don’t get your body warmed up any moment now, Kagami, you idiot,” said Captain Hyuga Junpei, while shooting daggers into Kagami’s head.  
“EEEEEEEH. I’m sorry, Captain!”  
“You’re too harsh, Hyuga,” Kiyoshi Teppei, one of the Uncrowned Kings and Seirin’s pillar, commented.  
“You’re the one to talk, Iron Heart.”  
“Okay, I’ll shut up now.”

The game was about to start any moment now, so Coach Aida Riko called them.

“Everyone! This is it. The game that every one of us has been waiting for. I know this is the so-called Emperor of Creation we’re facing, but since when did lousy titles hindered us from winning?”  
“Uhm…” Izuki Shun, Seirin point guard, tried to point something out.  
“That’s a question that shouldn’t be answered, Izuki-kun,” the coach snapped.  
“…”  
“We have no time for your corny puns, Izuki,” Hyuga commented.  
“Heeey! Stop it, you’re going to make Izuki cry before the match starts!” Kiyoshi came to his defense.  
“Fine, let’s get on with the meeting,” the coach announced.  
“Last time we saw Akashi Seijuurou, he was the ruthless captain of Rakuzan with a Napoleon complex – sorry, Kuroko, we all know how you feel about him – and a sense of absolutism. And looks like he still has those, with the help of a secret trump card that he claims to have, according to Midorima-kun’s experience.”  
“And that person’s that gray haired silent one, right coach?” Kagami asked.  
“I hope he’s all there is to the secret that Akashi plans to unleash today, Kagami-kun.”  
“Uhm…”  
“Yes, Kuroko-kun?”  
“I’m having a bad feeling about this game, coach. Something makes me uneasy.”  
“Ah. And you being anxious doesn’t exactly suit well. What exactly do you feel?”  
“Like something’s about to hit us real hard.”  
“Ah. No – stop laughing, Izuki, Koganei! – that’s not good at all.”

The bell rings. The tip-off should begin after the line-up.

“Alright men, it’s time. Seirin, fight!” Captain Hyuga said.  
“Fight!”

While the starters falling in line, Kuroko still has that uneasy feeling. It’s becoming so obvious that Hyuga, Kiyoshi, Izuki and Kagami can feel it.

“Kuroko. Chill out.”  
“Yes, I’ll try to Cap—”

Kuroko’s eyes widen in horror as he sees a very familiar face standing beside Akashi Seijuurou. It was a face he hasn’t seen in almost two years, a person who he longed to play with every single time ever since he met him. Kuroko then wears his indifferent mask back on, as he tries to gather his bearings as he speaks.

“N-Nijimura-senpai?”

Nijimura Shuuzou was the captain of the Teikou Middle School Basketball Club before Akashi Seijuurou, when Kuroko joined. He was respected by all. He has admirable basketball prowess that made him be known as the best and strongest power forward in middle school during the time of the Generation of Miracles together. He had to retire and give his position to Akashi due to his ailing father, and ever since that day, Kuroko only seen him once or twice in Teikou.

Now, as he stands before Kuroko, he looks as if he’s reluctant to be there, but Kuroko can feel that his former captain is overflowing with basketball anxiety that Kuroko is very familiar with. He’s now wearing Rakuzan #9, standing tall in between Akashi and Mibuchi Reo.

“Ah, Kuroko. Long time, no see, eh?”

The members of the Seirin basketball team can only stand in wonder, realizing who Kuroko is talking to.

“W-What are you doing in Rakuzan? I-I thought you retired from basketball to take care of your dad… How is he?”

“He’s fine, Kuroko, thanks for asking. He’s gotten way better since middle school, you see. Rakuzan’s administration and Akashi helped me and my family.”

“I see, Nijimura-senpai. Indeed, it has been a long time.”

So this is the trump card Akashi Seijuurou has been keeping from the rest of the world all this time. It was not #5, but rather #9, who was this generation’s best power forward. The true captain of the Generation of Miracles, the one responsible for bringing them together – Nijimura Shouuzo.

Looks like this match has gotten worse than Kuroko assumed.


End file.
